The Milwaukee Brewers have dominated Major League Baseball in the second half of the season. Milwaukee's manager, Pat Murphy, is well on his way to back-to-back Manager of the Year Awards if he can keep it up. The Brewers have survived with Jackson Chourio on the injured list. Now, Milwaukee closer Trevor Megill will join him, putting Abner Uribe in the spotlight.
Megill has been one of the league's premier closers this season, tallying 30 saves so far this season. His consistency at the end of close games has helped the Brewers go on historic win streaks that put them at the top of the league. However, taking Megill out of the equation could decimate their bullpen. The severity of the injury is cause for concern, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.
“Tough blow for Milwaukee: Closer Trevor Megill is on the injured list with a flexor strain in his right arm,” Passan said. “While the Brewers' bullpen depth is bountiful, flexor strains — even low-grade — can take time to heal, putting into question Megill's availability for the postseason.”
Murphy's bullpen is deep, but losing Megill takes a lot of the punch out of his arsenal. Uribe is the next man up when it comes to relief pitching, but he only has three saves on the season. However, a 1.71 ERA is an encouraging sign for Milwaukee, who might have to lean on him into the postseason. Right now, there is no telling when the Brewers could get Megill back on the mound.
While Murphy's team has had a great season, injuries stacking up at the wrong time could prove fatal. Chourio's recovery is ongoing, though, giving Brewers fans some hope. Despite that good news, Megill's absence will be felt by his team for as long as he is out. Without him, Milwaukee's chances at a title go down significantly.
For now, Murphy can't do much to speed his recovery along. He has to make do with Uribe and the rest of his bullpen as the Brewers try to keep winning.
